Saturday, August 08, 2015

Haggin Cup winner, Auli Farwa, is a Special Horse

7 August 2015, California ~ The Tevis Cup 100-mile Western States Trail is a pageant of endurance. In the after hours of the ride, top ten finishing horses over the course are given the chance to show for Best Condition. For the 1 August 2015 ride, this examination and observation gave the 2015 Haggin Cup Award to Auli Farwa (Far), a flashy 15-year-old Arabian gelding with a bold white face, ridden by Jenni Smith of Moraga, California.

The Haggin Cup, created in 1964, honors the horse in the most superior condition and recognizes the rider’s sportsmanship and horsemanship.

“I was supposed to ride Kevin Myers’ horse Stoner (Farrabba) and he was to ride Far – the same as we had done in 2014, said Smith.” But in early February, a Telluride ski slope had other ideas and Kevin required knee surgery. Myers thought Far would be up for the Haggin Cup this year, and was the better choice for Smith.

Smith picked up the story: “I was very much up for riding Far, even though he is a jack hammer. He’s fun, he’s got bottomless go and he’s all business on trail. If there’s trail, he’s goin’ down it. And he actually believes that cantering everywhere is possible, which alleviates some of the punishment.

Besides, I was going for my 10th finish and attempting on a horse with a perfect score of 62 lifetime starts, all of which he’s completed, seemed prudent...